Internet stalls/hangs and then work again

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Internet stalls/hangs and then work again

My Mac mini with Snow Leopard most of the time hangs when using the Internet (Safari, Firefox, ping in the Terminal etc.).

I have a Belkin router and all my other computer works fine with this (1 MacBook, AppleTV, Airport Express, another PC-laptop and some other).

I've just made a complete reinstall (with a total format of the harddrive) on my Mac mini and updated everything via the Software update. But that didn't change a thing.

The usual experience is when typing in a www-address in Safari it's just saying "Contacting ..." in the bottom for a very long time and then it fails. If I then type in the address again everything works. Next time visiting another site same thing happens. And sometimes it works for a while and then starts to hang again and vise versa.

As I recall all this with the internet hanging etc. came after a Airport firmware update for the Mac mini. Currently I'm using firmware Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.10.91.27).

So, any idea on what is going on? Perhaps a downgrade of the firmware would help, but I cannot find any firmware downgrades for the Mac mini.

All help is appreciated as this is driving me crazy.

Mac mini (2009), Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Aug 20, 2010 8:25 AM

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Answer 1

hensor Author

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Aug 20, 2010 8:27 AM in response to hensor

And another thing is, if I hook up my iPhone via bluetooth or the cable and then use it's 3G internet connection it does NOT hang.

So that is why I think the Airport could have something to do with it.

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Answer 2

Dah•veed

Level 9

64,645 points

Aug 24, 2010 7:58 AM in response to hensor

What browser are you using? Have you tried other browsers? Do all browsers show the issue?

Dah•veed

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Answer 3

Boece

Level 5

6,264 points

Aug 24, 2010 8:11 AM in response to hensor

It sounds like a routing problem. Or possibly a dud DNS server in the mix.

I'd suggest shutting down all the network equipment. Then slowly restart each item, starting with your cable or dsl modem and work towards the Mini as the last piece in the chain. Allow 5 minutes between each next piece you power up.

BTW is your mini connecting wired or wireless to the the router?

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Answer 4

hensor Author

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Aug 26, 2010 11:19 AM in response to hensor

It is all browsers.

The thing I don't understand with it being a DNS problem (thought of that first) is that it's only the Mac mini which has the problem.
It is connected wireless.

I have tried restarting (and resetting) the router and only connected the Mac mini, and also connected all the other computers before and then the Mac mini. Still problems.

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Answer 5

hensor Author

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Aug 27, 2010 12:27 PM in response to hensor

Some news...

I've tried to change the DNS servers on the router to Googles. Nothing change there.

BUT changing it on the Mac mini (in Snow Leopard) did!

That's awesome, but I'm still wondering how this is happening as all the other computers on the network use the routers DNS fine.

Any idea?

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Answer 6

Sep 5, 2010 11:41 AM in response to hensor

Hey did you ever figure out what the actual problem was? I'm having this exact same problem on my i7 iMac. Anything like youtube, vimeo videos, downloading via http, even browsing the net - the connection just drops for about a minute and then resumes.

What DNS settings did you change? I don't really understand how that could have any effect though. it almost seems like the airport card overheats and restarts (unlikely however as the Airport connection seems to stay on during the network stall).

My PS3 and MacBook Pro have no problems with the wifi! I really don't want to have to send the iMac away to Apple 😟

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Answer 7

hensor Author

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Sep 5, 2010 11:29 PM in response to hensor

Nothing more than changing the DNS servers on my iMac to Google's:
8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 fixed the problem and I haven't experienced it since.

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Answer 8

1Daddeo

Level 1

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Apr 18, 2013 9:41 AM in response to hensor

I have been bangin my head against this same problem for at least a month with mountain lion. This did the trick (changing the DNS).....Thanks guys! Yeah I can finally put this to rest!

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